Six Flags Magic Mountain and Samsung use augmented reality on Revolution

Six Flags Magic Mountain and Samsung use augmented reality on Revolution

Posted Thursday, February 9, 2017 8:05 AM | Contributed by obxKevin

Six Flags Magic Mountain and Samsung announced the New Revolution Galactic Attack mixed reality experience. As before, Six Flags is using Samsung's Gear VR headset, but now it's using the passthrough camera on the Galaxy phones, letting you see the virtual content overlaid on the real world.

Jeff

Thursday, February 9, 2017 12:37 PM

I'm not sure I would draw any conclusions from this particular story, because the various news releases are clearly a push from Samsung. This feels more like a promotional opportunity for them, and if they're floating the bill for it all, the appeal on the part of anyone is questionable.

GoBucks89

LostKause

Saturday, February 11, 2017 12:31 AM

In previous topics about virtual reality on coasters, I disapproved the idea, but very much approved of the idea of augmented reality. Virtual reality prevents you from seeing what's going on in the real world. Augmented, or mixed, reality, allows the fantastical things to happen within your reality. It allows you to see what is really going on, plus adds imaginary events into that reality. It's perfect.

I'm not going to roll my eyes at this idea. I think augmented reality is going to be much more popular than virtual reality, not just in roller coasters and entertainment, but in everyday life.

I would even predict that augmented reality is going to be as popular as television, the internet, and cell phones. It's "the" next step in technology. I'm kind of excited about it, if you can't tell.

Lord Gonchar

Saturday, February 11, 2017 1:04 AM

I think augmented reality makes sense on paper, but not sure it's every really going to take hold. Although, you're talking using it more in an entertainment sense - so maybe. I mean, isn't that kind of what Pokemon did to some degree?

A bit short-sighted maybe, but still the idea of using your phone as an "information window" to the world around you somehow makes sense. We do it already, it's just about changing the way we interface...and maybe that's why there's no interest. Same result.

As far as an entertainment thing, it'll be interesting to see if this is better received than straight VR. Or will it just be strapping something to your haed to ride a coaster that's objectionable? Although the article mentions:

On top of the virtual imagery, there's a level of gamification. "As riders drop at high speeds, the mixed reality view changes to a completely immersive, virtual reality environment and a fighter spaceship cockpit materializes and envelops the riders into a tunnel of light," the PR breathlessly explains. From there, you'll be brought into one of three (virtual) drone bays, "each of which offer a completely different gaming experience and three different endings," Six Flags explains.

Tommytheduck

Saturday, February 11, 2017 4:15 PM

My limited experience with this is indeed Pokemon Go. We play the crap out of that game, and love it, but I can count on 1 hand the amount of times I've turned the Augmented Reality feature of the game on. And that's only because I wanted to take a picture of a Pokemon with a real world background. Other than that, AR stays off. It's a giant PITA, even in this overly simple form.

sirloindude

Sunday, February 12, 2017 7:02 AM

Such technology can often be a pain in its infancy, but that's the price to be paid for the great rewards as technology advances.

That being said, and maybe I'm old-fashioned, but I just don't see what is so unfulfilling about the roller coaster experience that it takes VR to make it more interesting, and especially when it's on rides that are among the most popular in their parks. I get the budget aspect of it as far as it being a low-cost way to market a new attraction, but to me, I just feel like it probably takes more from the experience than it adds.

I guess I just wish the park/ride experience would be immersive enough to justify the lack of VR. Reality is thrilling enough on its own. Get off of my lawn.

LostKause

Monday, February 13, 2017 12:10 AM

I predict something like Google Glass with augmented reality, used throughout your entire waking life. You put on your lightweight glasses first thing in the morning, and take them off when it's bedtime. They show you everything, form the prices of the items you are shopping for at the store, to who you are looking at as you pass them on the street, and if you've come in contact with them before. They inform you of bus schedule times, in real time. You use AR at work. The glasses show you the actual wait time for a roller coaster at the amusement park. Netflix and Hulu; Facebook and CoasterBuzz, all hands free and automatically. We will live in a world of enhanced vision in which everything is connected.

The ads will suck balls.

The next step soon after that will be optional contact lens, or even an eye implant of some kind that will make the glasses obsolete.

This technology will kill the desktop computer, the tablet, and the smart phone, but the internet will live on through it

And introducing the technology in a theme park attraction is a great way to familiarize people to it.

sirloindude

Monday, February 13, 2017 6:40 AM

I do agree with that. I might have a less critical view if there was a way for those folks to be prepped ahead of time and thus capacity was not impacted. I still think it's ridiculous, but at least it wouldn't impact me.